I would like to add my name to the list of supporters
of Alan Cox's commentary on this issue.
In short, the Internet serves humanity best by being
a non-discriminatory public forum. In order for this
to be the case, there must be minimal barrier to entry.
Adopting license encumbered technologies as a part of
the standards of the World Wide Web would create a
barrier to smaller enterprises and individuals. Much
of the innovation that has been fostered by the Internet
has come from these independant sectors. The W3C should
if anything, seek to promote their entry to the Internet,
and at the very least should not impede it.
License encumbered technologies are not barred from
the World Wide Web. Flash, PDF, and GIF all enjoy very
successful and profitable positions. There is no
barrier to their use, and there should be no barrier
their non-use.
Bob Bushman
Apollo - IT R&D
+1 480 557 1845
bob.bushman@apollogrp.edu